Music Trade Review

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THE MUSIC TRADE REVIEW
i
THE PRODUCTION OF "PARSIFAL."
vious to her European visit appeared in many
London (England) namesake prints cities throughout the country winning some T H E much discussed and advertised "Par-
*
sifal" was produced at the Metropolitan
a report of an interesting- case concern- very high praise from leading critics.
*
Opera House on Christmas Eve before an
ing the performing rights in the music of
audience unparalleled in size and bringing in
Coleridge Taylor's "Hiawatha." No question
THE OLD MUSIC NOT SO SIMPLE.
of law was raised, for the law of copyright (^ ONCERT-GOERS who are accustomed total cash receipts of over $20,000. Except
is well known, and is, in fact, beyond dispute. ^
to associate old music with simplicity for some performances at Munich when
The judge, therefore, decided upon a ques- may be surprised when they learn that the Wagner's patron, King Ludwig, was the sole
tion of fact. Mrs. Brown Potter, the eminent contemplated performance of a work about spectator, "Parsifal" has never before been
actress, had applied to Messrs. Novello for two hundred years old was almost called off heard in its entirety outside of Bayreuth.
permission (for which she was willing to for want of a player with sufficient technique The papers have teamed with discussions
pay) to use some of the music of Mr. Tay- to master it. Mr. Sam Franko announced over the sacredness of this work, and many
lor's popular cantata in connection with a re- the production of a concerto by Bach for vio- absurd arguments have been made against
cital of Longfellow's poem, which she pro- lin, three oboes, two horns, bassoon, with this production outside of Bayreuth, but it
is the unanimous opinion of thousands who
posed to give in various
were present, as well as the leading critics,
parts of the country. But
that "Parsifal" has never received a better
the parties could not
presentation than it did in New York on
come to terms, and, ac-
Dec. 24. Considered from all the essential
cordingly, Mrs. Potter
points—orchestra, cast of singers and scenic-
directed another mu-
ally—it surpassed all previous productions.
sician to compose music
for her.
The general impression of the work is that
Messrs. Novello claim-
this hodge podge of Christianity and
ed that this musician had
Buddhism, of metaphysics and mysticism, of
utilized
phrases and
beautiful musical passages and many tedious
other portions from Mr.
bits, is largely a rehash of many of Wagner's
Taylor's cantata, and this
earlier operas, particularly "Tannhauser,"
view was upheld by the
lacking, moreover, the freshness and origi-
evidence
of
several
nality which he displayed in this work. The
gentlemen, the most im-
passages that most appealed were those writ-
portant of whom was Mr.
ten some thirty years before Wagner actually
Stephen Stratton, the
set himself seriously to complete "Parsifal."
eminent musical critic of
These possessed the inspirational touches
the Birmingham Post.
which moved the audience, but as a whole
Mr. Stratton's judgment
the work, while it impressed by its reverential
in such a matter would,
environment, was wearisome in the extreme.
in fact, be accepted as
In no other work has Wagner called for so
that of a trained expert
much aid from the stage hands as he has in
by most musicians, and,
this, with the result that the series of pictures
indeed, he could scarcely
presented are wonderful and impressive. But
have made a mistake, for
notwithstanding this, "Parsifal" is clearly the
he had a score of Mr.
work of a man in whom imagination had be-
Taylor's work, and heard
come over ripe. It has been described as
the music used by Mrs.
"the mood of the exhausted, the effete man;
Brown Potter.
the mood which follows the mood of Tris-
tan as certainly as night follows day."
It is true that the mu-
All of his previous works—"Parsifal" was
sicians who had written
his swan song—point the moral of faith—
Mrs.
Potter's
music
faith in redemption by woman, in the power
pleaded that he had not
of
love, in justice. "Parsifal" preaches de-
borrowed Mrs. Taylor's
MRS. MIHR-HARDY.
nial and redemption through denial. This
music; although he ad-
is not much in accord with our daily life and
mitted that he had endeavored to give string orchestra, at his first concert of old
some sort of local color to his own music, a music at the New Lyceum Theatre on Jan. the opposite of Wagner's early beliefs.
But it is rather late in the day to criticise
matter which he had a perfect right to do. 12, and then discovered that it was impossi-
But the Court decided that, perhaps uncon- ble to secure the services of a horn player Wagner's "Parsifal," particularly a work
sciously, this gentleman had plagiarized Mr. who could give a satisfactory rendering of which has drawn thousands from all parts
Taylor, and, accordingly, an injunction was the part. In despair Mr. Franko was about of the world to Bayreuth; suffice it that a
issued with a moderate sum of damages. to substitute another number when Xaxier work so ecstatically religious in character was
Thus it was a mere question of fact, and, in- Reiter stepped in the breach in spite of his given a representation which was worthy of
Manager Conreid and his company and of
deed, the only point of law which arose at arduous duties at the opera.
the audience< who heard it.
all was to the responsibility of his principals.
K
Mrs. Potter was held responsible, inasmuch
THE "FAD" IN LONDON.
as the composer was deemed to be her agent.
ELLIOTT SCHENCK'S GRAND OPERA.
HP
HE
concert
business is reported to be tin-
But Messrs. Ashton had a verdict in their
LLIOTT
SCHENCK, the Wagnerian
usually
poor
in
London
this
winter.
favor, for it was found that they had nothing
conductor,
who with Chevalier Emanuel
This
unfortunate
state
of
affairs
is,
no
doubt,
to do with the matter. The case is interest-
presides
over
H.
W. Savage's English Grand
due
in
part
to
the
foolish
antics
of
some
of
ing on many grounds.
the concert givers. The latest fad is, it Opera Orchestra this season, gave a recital in
seems, the "interval." During this interval New York last week of his new* grand opera
MRS. MIHR-HARDY.
N this page we present a portrait of Mrs. the artist holds a reception in his or her room "Tess." A select audience of managers and
Mihr-Hardy, dramatic soprano, who has or wanders up and down the concert hall musicians was present and steps were taken
just returned from Europe, where she had exchanging greetings with friends. These to arrange for an early New York produc-
several operatic offers. She preferred, how- attempts to introduce social features into tion of the young composer's ambitious work.
ever, to return to her native land and fulfil concerts may interest a few, while the audi- Thomas Hardy has given Mr. Schenck free
the concert engagements arranged for her by ence as a whole frets over the waste of time. permission to use the story of the "Tess of
her manager, Henry Wolfsohn. Mrs. Mihr- It is to be hoped this '"fad" will not become the D'Urbervilles" for the grand opera li-
bretto.
Hardy is a New Yorker by birth, and pre- popular here.
INTERESTING SUIT OVER "HIAWATHA."